DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - For just the third time in its 29-year history, the Embry-Riddle men's basketball team got a triple-double from an Eagle as Dalton Barnes led ERAU to an 80-59 win over Nova Southeastern on Wednesday night in the ICI Center. Barnes scored a game-high 26 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out a career-high 11 assists as the Eagles (15-8) made a huge second half statement, outscoring NSU (5-19) by 24 to complete the season sweep of the Sharks.

Barnes, along with the rest of the Eagles, did most of his damage in the second half, pacing the Blue and Gold to a comeback win over Nova Southeastern after trailing by three at the break, 34-31. ERAU came out of halftime and went on a quick 4-0 spurt to grab the lead before the visitors answered with a bucket of their own. The two teams went back-and-forth over the next few minutes, but a Brian Johnson three pointer, off a Barnes' pass, at the 16:29 mark gave the home team a 43-41 lead, a lead they would keep for good.

The Eagle defense keyed a crucial four minute span after the hosts claimed the lead as three steals and a big Luka Majstorovic block resulted in points on the other end for Embry-Riddle with Barnes putting a cap on the 8-3 run with a fast break layup following Majstorovic's block for a 51-44 advantage.

Skyler Hogan's trey with just under 10 minutes to play pushed the Eagle lead to double-digits at 56-46, and another Eagle steal, this time by Barnes, led to a run out from Bradley Mapes and the junior finished the play with a two-hand slam.

Embry-Riddle kept the Sharks at arm's distance over the final 10 minutes of the game, and a Dillon Graham triple in the corner with two minutes completed Barnes' triple-double as he collected his 10th assist of the evening. ERAU held the Sharks to just one field goal over the final three minutes, finishing the game on a 9-1 run to account for the 80-59 final.

The Eagles put up 49 points in the second half, holding NSU to just 25, while also grabbing 52 rebounds in the contest. ERAU shot 62 percent in the closing period, finishing the game 31-for-68 from the field.

The first half started sub-optimally for both teams after a lengthy delay prior to tip because of a basket issue in pregame warmups. Neither team shot the ball well in the opening period with the Eagles shooting just 33 percent and the Sharks managing 32 percent from the floor.

The Eagles were up 20-13 on a Johnson three-pointer at the 10-minute mark, but the visitors went on a 4-0 run before the Eagles answered with a McArthur jumper. ERAU's 26-21 cushion at the five-minute mark disappeared quickly thanks to back-to-back-to-back threes from Nova Southeastern, and the Sharks would take a 34-31 lead into the break.

Barnes' triple-double wasn't the only standout stat line of the night as Hogan finished with a double-double of 19 points and 12 boards and Johnson went for 12 points, six rebounds and six steals. McArthur was the fourth Eagle to reach double-figures with 10 points to go along with six rebounds, and Majstorovic ended the night with six points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocks.

Barnes joins David Butler (13 points, 11 rebounds, 10 blocks vs. Maryland Bible on Nov. 29, 2010) and DeForest Carter (22 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assist vs. Webber International on Feb. 25, 2013) as the only Eagles to record a triple-double in a game. Barnes also moved past former Eagles Jeff Moore (1,759) and Tyler DeBord (1,786) on the all-time scoring chart, and now stands alone in sixth-place all-time. Barnes needs just 19 points to pass up his former teammate Carter (1,786) for fifth on the list.

ERAU hosts Florida Tech on Saturday, Feb. 18 for a 7 p.m. tip against the Panthers in the ICI Center.